Angel of Siege
by TheCelestialDemon
Summary: In a war against your own mind and soul... Who is considered hero and villain? And more importantly... who is considered victor when the dust falls...?


This is my first piece on so you'll have to forgive me if it isn't quite up to expectation. Just remember, I don't own Magic Knight Rayearth, so I simply ask not to be taken to court. :D

Floating several miles above the surface of the globe through its extensive arcane prowess, the island of Fandaria described an elliptical orbit around the world of Cephiro with an atmosphere all its own. On the observation deck of the land's ruling citadel, a gleaming metal platform with little ornamentation to warm the cold expanse of the vast room, Leonidas stood alone, gazing down at the world of his birth with a heavy heart. He was no longer welcome on Cephiro. More than a man without a country, he was a man without a world, and he feared that such would be the fate of all Fandaria.

At the time Cephiro faced collapse as Lady Debonair made her assault on the land, Hikaru hadn't been the only one to expel her hates, fears, anxieties, and impurities into a separate entity, rather the fate befell Cephiro on a far more grand scale, the Pillar's twin simply being the first to make herself known as Nova. Rather than face the fate she had in rejoining with her "creator", the others had fled in the fear of self-destruction should they follow her footsteps. Instead, they used their combined wills to raise a chunk of Cephiro's very crust into the heavens, away from those who would otherwise wish their annihilation. And Leonidas… Lantis's counterpart, was no exception.

Leonidas was a handsome, though not an uncommonly large man, standing just above six feet tall and weighing slightly under two hundred pounds, but there was a quiet fury about him that caused even the most hardened souls to pause. His eyes were a glowing shade of blue equaled only by the purest sapphire, his waist length hair an extraordinarily perfect silver. Defined by his command, in himself and others around him, he was not given to frivolous commentary or physical expression. Still, he allowed himself a low sigh, a slow shake of his head, then his black gauntleted hand came up to stroke his smooth, boney chin.

Lost in thought, in waves of hope and grim determination, Leonidas hadn't noticed the draft of expelled air as a door had opened behind him. There was no danger to him, here. In Fandaria, he was…

"Emperor Leonidas, you summoned me…" Ferio's "twin" approached, stopping some ten feet behind his Lord.

Leonidas felt a moment of regret for the day he chose that title. In his anger, his need to present himself as a being of power, he had all but abandoned his name entirely. It set him apart from the rest of mankind, made them fear him all the more. But it also made it easier for them to hate. That fear, that difference also existed in the hushed reverence with which Fandaria's own populace treated him… Fear, hate, reverence… Leonidas wondered if he would ever get used to them, or the solitary world they've built around him.

"…Your tone reveals your hope that I've finally come to my senses, Ferius. I regret to inform you that I remain dedicated to the Cephiro Agenda."

"My Lord," Ferius gasped, "I would never think to question your will, I have not…"

Leonidas raised a hand to interrupt the other before speaking after a short moment, "Yes, yes… I know you would never contradict my word. However, don't think for a single moment that I do not know, and understand, your feelings on this matter."

Leonidas finally turned to face Ferius, whose eyes were downcast, and slowly approached the man, "Fandaria will continue to be a safe haven away from Cephiro for those of our kind who accept our invitation… our challenge to live independently. And you, my friend, will be the chief protector, other than myself, of all who reside here."

Ferius nodded, however did not appear relieved.

"Damnit, Ferius!" Leonidas exclaimed in frustration, "Ask the questions that weigh so heavily on you!"

"Forgive me, Lord, but it all just seems so unnecessary…" Ferius finally spoke up after a long moment's silence and hesitation, "We have Fandaria… What is keeping us from abandoning Cephiro entirely?"

Leonidas saw that Ferius simply didn't comprehend his plans, and resolved to change that. True, Ferius would obey any order, in spite of what it may be, but what good was blind obedience? Whoever followed him, Leonidas vowed, would not do so in ignorance…

"…Who is to say, that Cephiro is not as much our home, as it is theirs…?" Leonidas began, "We have the same hearts as those below… the same memories, the same experiences… The land was crumbling when we parted, and now that it is whole again, even without a pillar system to sustain it, we still have lost everything. The moment we were to return and make an attempt at our own lives, we would simply be either cast aside once more, or eaten alive by our own counterparts…" At this point, Leonidas no longer seemed to be speaking to Ferius at all, "They cast us to the wayside as if we were little more than trash, and we fall back… they take our homes from us and deny our existence and right to live, and we fall back… Not again. The line must be drawn _here_, this far, _no_ farther! And I… will make them _pay_ for what they've done…!"

"…Forgive my ignorance, Lord," Ferius replied with a solemn bow of reverence, "Your devotion to our kind is only matched by your determination to protect them."

Leonidas smiled now, like that of a proud father. He'd made even the counterpart of Ferio understand his plans… perhaps there was hope for them yet, "Go now and summon Maya here, my friend. There is much work to be done."

With another bow, Ferius turned and parted the observation deck and Leonidas was once again left alone to his thoughts as he turned back toward the immense windows facing the world below. A moment later, the doors would open again beyond the notice of Leonidas, following after it a sweet tone void of the reverence Ferius himself shared, "You rang?"

Leonidas's eyes rose a moment at Maya's words as he turned to face her. Granted, there was nothing romantic about their relationship, though looking upon Umi's "other half" made him regret that idea all the more. Maya treated him with a familiarity that Leonidas found most welcoming, a pleasant contrast to what he was used to. And her beauty… a perfection that he firmly believed couldn't even be rivaled by Umi herself. Long, midnight silk hair flowed down past her shoulders to the center of her back, her large indigo eyes piercing through Leonidas's without effort. Maya wore a midnight silk dress lining tightly to her rounded, delicious form in a way to make any man take second glance, if not blatantly stare, hugging her down to her ankles with a slit going up the side of her left leg toward her upper thigh to reveal perhaps more than even Leonidas could avoid staring at himself. She was beautiful, in the purest sense of the word.

Leonidas took a very small gulp to regain his composure, never having grown bored of simply looking at her, before finally speaking in the cold tone he's known for, more accurately simply trying to hide where his eyes were wandering just a moment earlier, "…Ready an invasion force comprised of the preset party… We begin the Cephiro Agenda."

Maya smirked lightly as she approached Leonidas, leaning her light form against his as her slender arms wrap loosely about his powerful shoulders, "Well, interesting… It isn't every day you get to hold an entire world hostage…"

First of many chapters, please review and let me know what you think. What precisely is the Agenda Lantis's own consciousness has produced…? And what impact will the counterparts of Cephiro's general population have on those that they spawned from…? I'll post more at my earliest opportunity to answer these and more questions.


End file.
